Merești archaeological site, "Dâmbul Pipașilor", Jud. Snort
Inside the Carpathian arch, more precisely in the Vârghiş Gorges, on a hill called "Dâmbul Pipaşilor" by the locals, is the Dacian settlement of Mereşti, surrounded from the northeast by the great mountains of Harghita and from the southeast by the Persian mountains.
The Dacian settlement includes "Dâmbul Pipaşilor", a conical height with southeast, southwest and northwest slopes that descends steeply towards the Vârghiş river, and the northeast more gently, towards the Câmpul Pietrii, on which it was laid out a plateau (6 mx 7 m), several terraces of varying sizes (between 24 sq m and 720 sq m) and a part of the plateau in front of the terraced hill.
The area of the settlement, which amounts to approximately 3 ha, was delimited on the plateau by a wave and a ditch, known by the locals as "Santul Tătarilor", which stretches for a length of approximately 330 m from "Dâmbul Pipașilor" to the Malul de Sus mountain.
Systematic archaeological excavations began in 1986 (initial research team: St. Ferenczi and V. Crişan). They targeted, first of all, the fortified hill, the attention of the specialists focusing on the fifth terrace, the largest of the terraces, with an area of approximately 700 square meters, of which approximately 190 square meters were investigated.
Traces of habitation from the Bronze Age (Wietenberg culture), La Ténè and from the medieval period (VII-VIII, XI-XIII centuries) were recorded in the investigated area.
In the Geto-Dacian settlement, two compact living levels were recorded, interspersed by a uniform layer of ash and coal, most likely due to a strong fire.
Based on the stratigraphic situation, the complexes and the recorded archaeological material, the two levels of habitation from the La Ténè era have been dated: from the end of the 2nd century to the end of the 1st century BC, the first level, and from the end of the I BC and in the 1st century BC, the second level.
The archaeological material discovered in the settlement is in the heritage of the Szekler Museum of Ciuc in Miercurea Ciuc and in the heritage of the National History Museum of Transylvania. The pieces in the heritage of the National History Museum of Transylvania (meaning most of the material discovered in the settlement) are being processed, and the information entered into the scientific circuit (through articles and communications/conferences) has enjoyed the attention of specialists .
Information provided by Dr. Cristina Popescu, MNIT archaeologists
